All hail the Pflueger President, a distinguished combination of
elegance and value

Date:

4/17/05

Tackle type:

Reels

Manufacturer:

Pflueger

Reviewer:

Zander

Total Score: 8.91 + BEST VALUE AWARD

Introduction: Pflueger has a long and colorful history in the tackle
business, and was one of the original pioneers in modern reel design. To the
consternation of many anglers the company ended production of spinning and baitcasting
reels for a period, but today the company is back in full force and many anglers
can't stop talking about the contemporary generation of Pflueger reels. Perhaps
most highlighted of all is the audaciously styled President baitcaster.

Impressions: Some of the most valuable antique reels and rods bear
the Pflueger brand name. Many modern day anglers don't realize that company has
been in the business of designing and producing tackle for well over a century.
While reel and rod design took a backseat for a phase in the company's history the acquisition of the
brand by Shakespeare in 1966 ushered in a new age of change. Three
years ago Pflueger began to push a complete lineup of premium fishing
reels. Two of the most frequently highlighted reels are the affordable Trion and
flagship President.

The Pflueger
President has many fans who like the reel's excellent balance of performance
and price

Upon first inspection I was immediately impressed
by the styling of this reel. It was both elegant and stylish, but seemed to
retain an all American look and feel. Rather than stray completely from the
Pflueger design to create a sleek new flagship reel, the company wisely made use
of styling cues from their previous reels. The left sideplate is trademark
Pflueger, and the top of the reel features a wider opening than many competing
reels, allowing for easy spool feathering. The components all appeared top
notch, and there wasn't a hint of cheap plastic anywhere to be found. The best
way I can describe the President's look and overall feel is that the reel is
simply
"elegant."

The
President sits higher than some of the newest reels but is well within
acceptable tolerances

The Field Tests: The President is designed to be an all round bass reel,
and we decided a good place to test this reel was on the California Delta
and adjacent waters. At this time of year bass fishing can be downright
explosive with the fish moving up to the spawn, giving us the opportunity to run
everything from plastic worms to reaction jerkbaits.

Complete
test rig for Pflueger President Field Tests

Rod

ST. Croix Legend Tournament Bass Teaser (TBC70MF)

Reel

Pflueger President

Line

12 lb. P-Line Fluroclear

Before heading out we gave the President our
standard battery of tests including freespool, submersion, frame stress, and
drag pressure tests. The President performed reasonably in all tests, except the
freespool tests, where it actually performed extraordinarily well. The President's freespool just goes and goes, once disengaged from the main gearing the ported
aluminum spool spins seemingly absent of all rotation robbing friction. We
were all wound up with the prospect that this incredible freespool display might
translate into raw casting performance in the field.

The
President features almost completely aluminum construction, with only the
palming side cover being made out of plastic

Casting:
We loved the President's casting ability, in fact we reveled in it. This reel
can cast ultralight weightless rigged plastics with no difficulty, and casting
any lure with significant weight is thrill. The same freespool capabilities we
first took notice of in our lab did indeed translate into brilliant casting
distance. While expert casters will have no difficulty, less experienced
baitcasters will definitely want to step up the cast control setting to avoid
time consuming backlashes. The President makes use of a six pin centrifugal
braking system that is very similar to the VBS system employed by Shimano.
During casts the spool forces all engaged weights forward, gently slowing the
forward motion of the spool.

Adjusting the brake weights requires you to remove
the left sideplate via the quick locking mechanism. By depressing the button
than rotating it forward you can remove the sideplate and expose the braking
system and spool. This was our single biggest gripe about the President. Reels
from Daiwa allow you to adjust the braking system externally, and while reels
from Shimano also require you to access the spool to make adjustments to the
centrifugal system the sideplate remains connected to the frame of the reel via
a rotating pinion. This is not the case with the President which requires you to
hold the completely separated plate as you make adjustments to the cast control
system. Once engaged the system worked like a charm, and while most anglers will
adjust the cast control system and leave it we would have liked to see a
provision to hold the plate should adjustments in the field become necessary.

The clicking
spool tension knob is a very nice touch

On the plus side the President did surprise us
with a micro-click spool tension knob. Many of the competitors with reels
costing twice as much do not make use of a clicking tension knob. We found it
easy to make precise adjustments allowing us to maximize casting distance and
minimize backlashes regardless of what type of lure we tied on. To adjust the
cast control you simply hold the rod forward at a 45 degree angle and tighten
the spool tension until the lure very slowly descends. Veteran baitcasters won't
normally do this as they simply compensate by feathering the spool during each
cast. Another very nice touch in the reel's well-dressed construction is a soft
thumb pad on the clutch bar which makes casting more comfortable, and also
causes the bar to be far less slippery when wet.

Plenty of
quality bearings and a ported lightweight machined aluminum spool help make
the President an exceptional caster

Retrieve: The President is loaded when it
comes to bearing count. The reel features 9 double shielded stainless steel ball
bearings and a one-way clutch instant anti-reverse bearing for a grand total of
10 bearings. The result is a fluid refined feel that is comparable to reels
costing near 200 dollars. Pflueger was so concerned with a quality feel that
bearings are used within the handle knobs. While the reel feels silky you do
feel connected to the gearing and clamping down and cranking on big fish can be
done with confidence. During our tests we hooked into countless small males
hovering over beds, many of which snapped up jerkbaits invading their territory.
We found the President both quick and powerful enough to always maintain
pressure on even the fastest diving fish. On the occasion we hooked into a 5lb
female we found the gearing to be more than enough to gain ground and haul her
to surface in between charges. This reel is capable of retrieving 28" of line
per handle turn, making it possible to use the reel for ripping for white and
striped bass.

We wished
the sideplate could remain attached while adjusting the brake-weights.
Having a completely separated cover makes it harder to make quick
adjustments with one hand

Drag: The President features a
multi-disc drag that is controlled via an all metal forged star drag. The drag
system adjustment is well polished and we were able to get minute adjustments
out of the drag quite easily. The President's drag system isn't the smoothest we
have tested, nor is it the strongest, but on average it is capable of delivering
a respectable 5.5lbs of counter pressure. This is more than enough for
largemouth, but a bit low for a first-rate striped bass reel. In terms of
overall refinement the drag is slightly above average, but when you consider the
price of the reel you can't help but be impressed.

The
President is both comfortable and easy to palm

Ergonomics:
The shape of the President is excellent for palming and the spool opening isn't
actually symmetrical, as it is designed to perfectly accommodate your thumb
while palming. The reel's overall stance on Fuji reel seats is just a tad taller
than some of the newest reels. Overall I found the ergonomics to be excellent.
The reel will feel easy to palm for anyone with mid to large sized hands, and
the knobs are ergonomically shaped making it easy to burn cranks and spinners
all day. I loved the clicking drag star, and precision spool tension knob was
easy to adjust between casts with just one finger. The overall weight of 8.9oz
is very respectable, especially considering the star drag and handle are all
forged aluminum. With the slight exception of sitting a bit high on some reel
seats the President's fishing ergonomics are near perfect.

The
President delivers a silky retrieve and has a fast 6.3:1 retrieve making it
easy to work reaction baits

Durability: We tried to out stress
the drag and ruin the lubrication with prolonged submersion but the President
wouldn't have any of it. The master gearing within the President's guts is
average in size, but Pflueger's choice of double shielded ball bearings
throughout help keep this reel fluid and free of performance reducing particles.
All metal construction throughout help make this reel a very rigid package, one
that can stand up to countless casts into freshwater, and even some inshore
saltwater use. Pflueger gets bonus points for their use of a beautifully ported
aluminum spool that is completely machined and anodized for superior corrosion
resistance. Want to use braided superlines for fogging in heavy cover? No
problem. The President answers with a titanium nitride coated aluminum oxide
line guide.

During our
tests even 5lb+ largemouth were easy to bring up to the boat with the
President

Price: As we completed our field tests we knew we had something
special here. This is a domestically designed reel that we can all be proud of
from both a design and performance standpoint, but the clincher really comes
down to price. How many quality brands do you know that have a flagship reel
with 10 bearings and a price point under 130 dollars? The list is short, and the
President is sure to among the top contenders. The President looks, is built
like, and fishes like a 200+ dollar reel, and Pflueger should really be
commended for building a reel of this quality and maintaining a price point that
is well within the reach of all anglers.

Ratings:

Pflueger
President Ratings
(?/10)

Construction/Quality

The Pflueger President is built with some
excellent materials and the quality of the construction is very respectable.
The anodized machined aluminum spool looks like it should be on a reel
costing 70 dollars more

9

Performance

The President is a brilliant caster, and boasts
a seriously silky retrieve. The reel's drag is decent, and there is
absolutely no back play in the handle whatsoever

9

Price

When it comes to price all hail the President!
This is among the most affordable flagship reels available. When it comes to
performance it can easily be mistaken for a reel costing near 200 dollars

9.5

Features

The President should be applauded for their
use of a micro adjust spool tension knob, many competitor reels 100 dollars
more neglect this feature. The only real gripe we had with the reel's
features is the completely removable sideplate, which makes it more
difficult to quickly adjust the centrifugal brakes with just one hand

8.5

Design (Ergonomics)

The reel sits a bit higher than some of the
competition but overall ergonomics are excellent. The reel is easy to palm
and the knobs are easy to grip even when wet

8.5

Application

The President can stand up to just about any
freshwater fishing and can tackle bass, stripers, walleye, and perch.
The reel features quality shielded bearings and can be used in light
saltwater applications too...just remember to wipe it down after use

9

Total Score

8.91

Pluses and Minuses:

Plus Minus

J Quality build and refinement

L Sideplate fully disconnects from frame to
adjust brake weights

J Amazing freespool and casting distance

L Sits slightly higher on Fuji reel seats than
some of the latest reels

J Smooth and refined

J Micro click cast control knob

J A great price and overall value!

Conclusion: The President is the first Pflueger reel ever reviewed
by TackleTour, and I can guarantee it definitely won't be the last. The
President's all aluminum construction and shielded bearings make it possible for
it to be used by both freshwater and inshore saltwater anglers. The President's
only marginal shortcoming is the completely detachable sideplate, but for 2005
some of the reel's other attributes were improved. This year the reel did get
slightly upgraded bearings and the company introduced a widespool model which
weighs in at 9.4 oz and can hold 20% more line. The President has all the
features and performance required of a flagship reel, it is designed with
quality materials, delivers
excellent fishability across the spectrum, and somehow manages to do all this
while remaining surprisingly affordable. Pflueger has a winner on their hands
with the President, and anglers looking for a flagship quality reel at an
amazingly aggressive price should look no further than the well constructed
President, which is unquestionably a "Best Value" in our book.